Collapsible container for bakery goods and the like



y 20, 1958 E. c. PELLATON 2,835,429

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER FOR BAKERY GOODS AND THE LIKE! Filed Feb. 13. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f/G 3 l E i a i I; 1 1 l l I INVENTOR.

ERNEST C. PELLATON y 20, 1958 v E. c. PELLATON 2,835,429

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER FOR BAKERY GOODS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 13, 1956 v12 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ERNEST' c. PELLATON ATTORNEYS COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER FOR BAKERY GOODS AND THE LIKE Ernest C. Pellaton, Larkspur, Califi, assignor to Fibreboard Paper Products Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application February 13., 1956, Serial No. 564,932

11 Claims. (Cl. 229-30) quickly and securely lock the tray into set-up position or unlock a set-up tray for collapsing flat for storage or shipment.

In summary, the invention provides a collapsible multicell tray having a bottom, side walls on such bottom, opposite end panels hingedly secured to. the side walls, a central longitudinal divider strap connecting such ends and having its upper edge spaced above the bottom, cell divider strapsv extending transversely of the tray between thev side walls and the longitudinal divider strip, a locking end cover panel at one end of the tray, and locking means a ja en he. top of such coverpanelcooperable with complementary locking means on the longitudinal divider strapfor locking, the trayin the set-up position.

To facilitate ovenwrapping of set-up trays, it is desirable that the upper edges of the locking cover panel, the opposite end wall and the long tudinal divider strap be posi io ed. at the same elevation ove the bottom.

In. order to. provide added strength and to. aid in holding the tray in set-up position, a separate foldable reinforcing inside end Wall is provided adjacent the cover panel. having the. locking m ans. Thu when the lockin end. cover panel is locked by engagement with the locking meansfon the longitudinal divider strap,v it bears against the outside face of such. r inforcingpanel', thereby pre enting collaps ng of he ay whi h might. occ r if such. reinforcing panel were free to fold.

Other and more specific objects of the invention will appear from the following; description of the particular embodiment of the invention shown. in the accompanying raw gs wh h orm amateiialpart of this specification.

In. th d awings, cutsare shown. as solid. linesv and hinge ine ar hown. as. broken lines.

Fig. 1-. is an isometric view of. a set-up tray ready for locking, in. such state. by movement. ofa locking end cover panel as shown in phantom lines.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the tray of Fig. 1.

, Fig. 3 isv a. sectional view taken in the plane of line 3-.6 of Fig. 2 showing. details'of a lock catch device for locking the tray in set-up position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary. enlarged isometric view of the left or locking end of a set-up tray showing further details of: the lock catch arrangement, and; also showing, in phantom lines, the position of inside reinforcing end Panel Fi 56 i e ric. view of; a tray, embod in the invention. the tray e ngv shown as. l ap d fl tf stcrageor shinning.-

s- 6 is a P v ew ot a flat. Qua-piece blank from nited States Patent which a tray embodying the present invention may be formed.

Referring first to Fig. 6, the blank, which is preferably made of paperboard but may be made of any other suitable foldable material, is generally rectangular in shape and divided into various components by scores and cuts.

in the blank shown, a bottom panel 11 is defined along its sides by a pair of longitudinally extending parallel score lines 12, at one end by a transverse cut edge 13, and at the other end by a transverse score line 14. An end cover panel 16 is hingedly attached to the bottom panel 11 as an extension thereof, a traverse score line 14 serving as the hinge line.

To facilitate collapsing and setting up of the tray as hereinafter explained, bottom panel 11 and end panel 16 are divided into substantially equal sections by a single longitudinally extending score line 17 positioned intermediate longitudinal score lines 12 and parallel thereto.

A pair of former panels 18 are hingedly connected one on each side of bottom panel 11 along the longitudinal score lines 12. Each of such former panels 13 includes a side wall portion 19 along its inner edge at score line 12, a longitudinal divider strap 21 along its outer cut edge 22, anda plurality of generally oblique cell divider straps 23 connecting such side wall 19 to the longitudinal divider strap 21. in this connection, it will be noted that the oblique cell divider straps 23 are defined by a combination of oblique cuts 24 and short cuts 26 parallel to longitudinal score lines 12. This particular arrangement of cuts forms cell divider straps with enlarged central areas and thus provides greater wall area between cells when the carton is set-up as in Fig. 1. However, the particular shape and arrangement of cuts 24 and 26 is not critical as the oblique cell divider straps may be formed in a variety of shapes to answer particular needs, and other combinations of cuts may be employed to form such shapes.

To facilitate setting-up and collapsing ofthe tray, as hereinafter explained, each oblique strap is hinged at its lower end to the side wall 19 and at its upper end to the longitudinal divider strap 21. Such hinging, is accomplished by means of first, second, third, fourth and fifth pairs of opposite transverse score lines numbered, respectively, 27, 23, 29, 31 and 32.

Of these score lines, it will be noted that they are all substantially parallel and that the first pair of scores, 27', is formed by extension of transverse score line 14, the fifth pair of scores, 32, is aligned with transverse cut edge 13, and the second, third and fourth pairs of scores, 28, 29 and 31 are short transverse scores extending between the side wall panel 19 and longitudinal divider strap 21.

Hingedly attached to former panels 18 along the fifth pair of transverse score lines 32 is a pair of end panels 33; and attached to these end panels along a sixth pair of score lines 34 is a pair of tabs 36.

At the opposite ends of former panels 18. is pair of end reinforcing panels 37 hingedly connected one each to the former panels 18 along transverse score lines 27 and which, as hereinafter discussed, also aid in holding the assembled tray in set-up position. Attached to end reinforcing panels 37 along a seventh pair of transverse score lines 38 is a second pair of end tabs 39.. It will be noted that these tabs 39 are connected to end reinforcing panels 37 only along their lower side edge portions and have their upper side edge portions connected to longitudinal divider 21 along the hinge line 38. It is also to be noted that although longitudinal divider straps 21 are substantially equal in length to bottom panel 11, they are not coextensive therewith along longitudinal score line 12 as are side wall panels 19-, but instead are displaced longitudinally from the bottom by cell divider straps 23.

Thus, in the. blank, each. longitudinal divider strap 21 is defined at its ends by score lines 31 and 38 while each side wall panel 19 "is defined at its ends by score lines 27 and 32. However, as will be explained more fully hereinafter, when the tray is set up, each longitudinal divider 21 and side wall 19 will be positioned between the ends of the tray with their ends in alignment.

In this connection, it will be noted that attached to one end of each longitudinal divider strap 21 along score line 31 is an upper end panel 40 which, as hereinafter explained, stiifens the end panels 33 of the assembled tray.

A lock for holding the tray in the set up position is provided by cooperative action of an elongated slot 41 adjacent the top of end cover panel 16, and a complementary lock tab 42 (see Figs. l-4) on divider strap 21. Such slot is positioned in end cover panel 16 on longitudinal score line 17 near the top or outside edge of such panel and is adapted to cooperate with the complementary lock tab 42 on the longitudinal divider strap 21 as explained below in connection with Figs. 1-5.

Lock tab 42 is formed by cut out portions 43 in the outside edges 22 adjacent the outside ends of transverse score lines 38 and lying equally on both sides of such lines. A triangular portion 44 is formed in the bottom of each cutout with its vertex lying on score line 38 so that upon folding end tab 39 onto longitudinal divider strap 21, triangular portion 44 is folded in half to form lock tab 42.

To assemble the tray to the collapsed state shown in Fig. 5, end panels 33 and attached tabs 36 are folded inwardly and glued face to face against stiffener panel 40 and longitudinal divider 21 as indicated by the stippled areas 45. At the opposite end of the blank, tabs 39 are folded inwardly and glued face to face on the end of longitudinal divider strap 21 as indicated by stippled area 46. This forms the lock tab 42 as explained above. The entire blank is then folded along longitudinal score line 17 and the inside faces of tabs 36 and 39 on one side are glued or otherwise secured to the inside faces of their mates on the opposite side while longitudinal divider straps 21 are similarly secured to each other as indicated by stippled area 47. This completes assembly of the tray to the collapsed state shown in Fig. 5.

Setting up of the collapsed tray is accomplished by exerting pressure on its ends as indicated by the arrows 48 of Fig. 5. This rotates cell divider straps 23 about their hinges to expand the tray, and it can then be locked in the set up position by swinging end cover panel 16 into position and engaging lock tab 42 in lock catch opening 41 as best shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4.

Referring now to Figs. l-4, a set up tray 49 is shown as comprising generally a bottom 11, side walls 19, a locking end cover panel 16, reinforcing end panels 37 inside such locking end cover panel, and opposite end panels 33 with attached end stiffening panels 40.

Division of the tray into cells is by longitudinal divider strap 21 and transverse oblique cell divider straps 23 connecting side walls 19 to such longitudinal divider strap.

The tray is hinged for setting up and collapsing along longitudinal scores 12 and 17 and vertical score lines 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 34 and 38. (See also Fig. 6.) Vertical reinforcing tabs such as 36 and 39 may be provided for strength. In this connection, it will be noted that reinforcing end panels 33 and end panels 37 are not secured to bottom 11, but are free of such bottom to enable setting up and collapsing of the tray.

As above described, the tray is locked in the set up position by lock catch opening 41 in end cover panel 16 which is adapted to engage complementary lock tab 42 on divider strap 21. It will be noted that when the tray is locked in the set up position, end panel 16 bears face to face against end reinforcing panels 37. thereby holding them against folding on score line 38 as they would if the end cover panel were not locked in position.

Also, the locking cover panel, which is hinged to the bottom, serves to secure the free tray ends to the bottom and thus provides added support. If desired, a locking end cover panel may also be provided hinged to the other end of the bottom to aid in locking the tray in the set up state and to secure that end of the tray to the botom. In such a construction any suitable locking means may be employed to lock the panel in the upright position.

To collapse the tray, it is only necessary to disengage lock catch opening 41 from lock tab 42 to allow folding along the above mentioned score lines 12, 17, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32,34 and 38. In order to facilitate overwrapping of a filled tray and to provide a neater package, opposite end panels 16 and 33 are equal in height to each other and to the top of longitudinal divider 21.

Thus, in the present invention overwrapping of the tray is provided for by cutting the blank in a particular manner so that the end panel 16 is formed from blank material between the former panels 18 which would otherwise be wasted. As above described, each former panel 18 includes an end panel 37 at one end and end panels 33 and 40 at the opposite end.

Because of the type of cell formation, one end of each ply of the two ply longitudinal divider 21 is formed from material cut otf adjacent the tops of end wall panels 37 thereby decreasing the height of such end wall panels. The opposite end of divider 21, however, is not formed by removing any material from the tops of end wall panels 33 and reinforcing panels 40. Such opposite end of divider 21, as is clearly shown in Fig. 6, is formed by that portion of former panel 18 which lies above the transverse cell divider 23 extending between score lines 29 and 31. End panels 33 and 40 retain their full height when the tray is set up in that the tops of said end panels remain intact. Therefore, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1, ,end panels 37 are lower in height than opposite end panels 33 and 40. It should be noted that end panels 40 are formed as extensions of divider 21 and are formed entirely from material severed from above end portions of side walls 19. As shown in Fig. 1, panels 33 extend to the same height as divider 21 as do panels 40, which form the second plies of the two ply end wall, 33 and 40. Consequently a set up tray, which would be uneven as to height at opposite ends, would be difiicult to overwrap and would not present a neat appearing package. This problem is overcome in the present invention by making end panel 16, at the end adjacent reinforcing panels 37, of height substantially equal to the height of the opposite end panels 33 and 40. It should also be noted, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 that longitudinal divider 21 is substantially coplanar with the tops of cover panel 16 and end panels 33 and 40, at least at the points of juncture of said divider with cover panel 16 and the end wall formed by the end plies or panels 33 and 40, thereby providing a uniform height on the set up tray to facilitate overwrapping. Since panel 16 is formed from material within the blank itself between the former panels 18, which material would otherwise be-wasted, no additional cost is involved to provide the overwrap feature. Insofar as this feature is concerned, the lock on the end cover panel 16 can be omitted as articles placed in the tray will hold it in set up state suflicient for overwrapping.

I claim:

1. In a multi-cell foldable tray comprising a bottom, opposite side walls hingedly secured to said bottom, opposite ends on said tray, a divider strap connecting said ends; means for securing said tray against collapse comprising a cover panel hingedly secured to one end of said tray for folding against one of said opposite ends, and locking means on said cover panel cooperative with locking means on said divider strap for holding said cover panel in said folded position against said outside face, the tops of said cover panel, said divider strap and the other of said opposite ends being substantially co-planar to facilitate overwrapping of said tray.

2. In a multi-cell foldable tray comprising a bottom, opposite side walls hingedly secured to said bottom, opposite ends free from said bottom and hingedly secured to said sidewalls, and a divider strap connecting said ends; means for securing said tray against collapse comprising a cover panel hingedly secured to one end of said bottom for folding against the outside face of one of said opposite ends, and locking means on said cover panel cooperative with locking means adjacent one end of said divider strap for holding said cover panel in said folded position against said outside face, the tops of said divider strap, said cover panel and the other of said opposite ends being substantially co-planar to facilitate overwrapping of said tray.

3. A foldable tray comprising a bottom, a pair of opposite side walls hingedly connected to said bottom, a pair of opposite end panels free from said bottom and hingedly secured to said side walls each of said end panels being foldable; a folding score line on said bottom substantially equidistant from said side walls and parallel thereto; means for securing said tray against collapse by folding, said means comprising a cover panel hingedly connected to one end of said bottom for folding against the outside face of one of said end panels with the top of said cover panel extending above the top of said one end panel but being substantially co-planar with the other of said end panels, locking means on said cover panel, and complementary locking means adjacent the end of said tray cooperative with said locking means of said cover panel for locking the same against the outside face of said end panel.

4. A multi-cell tray made from foldable material and adapted to be set up from a collapsed state, comprising a bottom, a pair of opposite side walls hingedly secured to said bottom, a score line on said bottom substantially equidistant from said side walls, a pair of opposite end panels free from said bottom and disposed between said side walls at opposite ends of the tray and hingedly secured to said side walls; a longitudinal divider disposed substantially equidistant between said side walls, said divider being hingedly secured to said opposite end panels along vertical score lines on said end panels, said vertical score lines dividing said end panels for folding; a plurality of spaced apart transverse straps hingedly connecting said side walls and said longitudinal divider, and means for locking said tray against collapsing, comprising a cover panel hingedly secured to one end of said bottom for folding face to face against one of said opposite end panels, and locking means on said tray cooperative with locking means on said cover panel to hold said cover panel in said face to face relationship, the tops of said divider, cover panel and said end panel remote from said cover panel being substantially co-planar thereby facilitating overwrapping of said tray to protect the contents thereof.

5. A multi-cell tray made from foldable material and adapted to be set up from a collapsed state, comprising a bottom, a pair of opposite side walls hingedly secured to said bottom, a score line on said bottom substantially equidistant from said side Walls, a pair of opposite end panels disposed between said side walls at opposite ends of the tray and hingedly secured thereto, a longitudinal divider disposed substantially equidistant between said side Walls, said divider being hingedly secured to said opposite end panels, vertical score lines dividing said end panels for folding, a plurality of spaced apart transverse straps hingedly connecting said side Walls and said longitudinal divider, and means for locking said tray against collapsing, comprising a cover panel hingedly secured to one end of said bottom for folding against the face of one of said opposite end panels, and complementary locking means on said longitudinal divider strap above the bottom of said tray cooperative with locking means adjacent the top of said cover panel to hold said cover panel in said face to face relationship, the tops of said divider, cover panel and the other of said opposite end panels being substantially co-planar, at least in those locations adjacent the juncture of said divider with said one end panel and said cover panel.

6. A blank for forming a collapsible tray, comprising v prising a side wall panel adjacent said bottom, a longitudinal divider spaced from said side wall by a plurality of oblique straps hingedly connected to said divider and said side wall, an upper end reinforcing panel hingedly secured to an end of said longitudinal divider adjacent a second end of said bottom, an end panel hingedly secured to said upper end reinforcing panel on its upper side edge portion and hingedly secured to said side wall on its lower side edge portion, a reinforcing tab hingedly secured to the end of said end panel, a lower end reinforcing panel hingedly secured to the opposite end of said side panel, a second reinforcing tab hingedly secured at a side edge along a lower portion thereof to said end reinforcing panel and along the same edge at the upper portion thereof to said longitudinal divider, a lock tab forming cut-out on the outer edge of said divider and said second tab, said cut-out extending equally into said divider and said second tab and having an uncut substantially triangular portion in the bottom thereof for forming a hook when said second tab is folded inwardly over the end of said divider; and an elongated opening in said cover panel disposed substantially on and in alignment with said first longitudinal score line, said elongated opening being cooperative with said hook to engage the same when said tray is assembled with said cover panel folded upwardly against the end thereof.

7. A substantially rectangular blank for forming a coll'apsible multi-cell tray comprising a sheet of foldable material including a bottom, side walls on said bottom, longitudinal divider straps spaced from said side walls and hingedly connected thereto by oblique divided straps, end panels of unequal height hingedly connected to said side Walls, an end cover panel hingedly connected to said bottom and extending from one end thereof and being of equal height with the end panel at the opposite end of said bottom, locking means comprising an elongated opening adjacent the top of said end cover panel, and complementary locking means on an end of said longitudinal divider strap cooperable with said end cover panel locking means for securing said tray against collapse when it is set up.

8. A tray comprising a bottom, a pair of opposite side walls hingedly connected to said bottom, a pair of opposite ends hingedly secured to said side walls and free from said bottom, a longitudinal divider strap extending between said ends, and means for securing said free ends to said bottom comprising a panel hingedly connected to one of said opposite ends of said bottom and foldable into locking engagement with said one end, said hinged panel and said lonigtudinal divider strap having the tops thereof lying substantially in a single plane whereby the tray may be overwrapped to protect the contents thereof.

9. A multi-cell tray comprising a bottom, a pair of side walls hingedly connected to said bottom, opposite end Walls hingedly secured to said side walls, a longitudinal divider between said side walls, transverse cell forming dividers connected between each of said side walls and said longitudinal divider, said divider comprising two plies an end of each of which is formed from material cut off "adjacent the top of one of said end walls each ply at the other end of said divider having an integral extension hingedly connected thereto and providing a ply of the other of said end walls, said extension being formed entirely of material severed from above an end portion of 7 a side wall adjacent said other end wall and extending substantially to the height of said divider, and said other end wall including a pair of second plies each in face to face relationship to an extension ply and hingedly connected to such extension ply and to said last mentioned side wall, said pair of second plies also extending substantially to the height of said divider, whereby said one end wall is lower than the opposite other end wall, and a cover panel hingedly connected to the bottom at the end adjacent said one lower end wall, said cover panel being of height substantially equal to the height of said.

opposite other end wall and being turned upwardly adjacent said lower end wall to provide said traywith opposite ends of substantially equal height.

10. A multi-cell tray comprising a bottom, a pair of side walls hingedly connected to said bottom, opposite end walls hingedly secured to said side walls, a longitudinal divider positioned between said side walls, transverse cell forming dividers connected between each of said side walls and said longitudinal divider, said divider comprising two plies an end of each of which is formed from material cut off adjacent the top of one of said end walls, each ply at the other end of said divider having an integral extension hingedly connected thereto and providing 2. ply of the other of said end walls, said extension being formed entirely of material severed from above an end portion of a side wall adjacent said other end wall and extending substantially to the height of said divider, and said other end wall including a pair of second plies each in face to face relationship to an extension ply and hingedly connected to such extension ply and to said last mentioned side wall, said pair of second plies also extending substantially to the height of said divider, whereby said one end wall is lower than the opposite other end wall, and a cover panel hingedly connected to the bottom at the end adjacent said one lower end wall, said cover panel being of height substantially equal to the height of said opposite other end wall and being turned upwardly adjacent said lower end wall to provide said tray with opposite ends of substantially equal height, the top of said longitudinal divider being substantially co-planar with the top of said cover panel and the top of said opposite end wall at the points of juncture of said divider with said cover panel and said opposite end wall.

'11. A blank for forming a collapsible tray comprising a sheet of foldable material including a bottom; a cover panel hingedly secured to a first end of said bottom; a pair of opposite former panels hingedly secured to opposite side edges of said bottom, each of said former panels comprising a side wall panel adjacent said bottom, a longitudinal divider panel spaced from said side wall panel by a plurality of oblique straps hingedly connected to said divider panel and said side wall panel; an end reinforcing panel hingedly secured to an end of each longitudinal divider panel adjacent a second end of said bottom, an end panel hingedly secured on its upper side edge portion to each end reinforcing panel and hingedly secured to its lower side edge portion to a side wall; and another end reinforcing panel hingedly secured to the opposite end of said side panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,367,066 Selvin Jan. 9, 1945 2,372,351 Arneson Mar. 27, 1945 2,616,611 Arneson Nov. 4, 1952 2,673,677 Ringler Mar. 30, 1954 2,709,535 Bergstein May 31, 1955 

